After several pretty bad hot chocolates along the road between Hobart and Launceston, I was beginning to wonder whether Australia’s talent for producing beautiful hot chocolates did not extend South to this state. That is until today. Cocobean Chocolate opened at 9am this Monday morning and we were there at 9:01 with high expectations. We were greeted by a very friendly young woman and when we asked her what hot chocolates they offered her face lit up and she got all excited. “Oh we have so many options, sit down and I’ll bring a menu”. We sat down right in the middle of a row of tables all facing the incredible display of chocolates, truffles, Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies.
The place was already buzzing. To the far left of us was a woman there for her daily hot chocolate before going to work. A few moments later another woman arrived and sat at the table to the far right. They knew each other and spent several minutes speaking over us, sharing stories from the weekend. Two men in suits arrived to pick up a box with a giant chocolate bunny. The bunny was to be displayed proudly at the front entrance of their business and there were plans to use it as a prize for a contest.
Cocobean Chocolates was founded in 2008 by Rick and Theresa Streefland. Theresa, who was in the store this morning, is a mum and connoisseur of all things quality and was looking to put her passion for food to good use after raising three kids. They started making the chocolates in the shop’s upstairs kitchen on George Street but quickly outgrew this facility and moved into a larger one.
They had several hot chocolate offerings. There was a classic hot chocolate which a steady stream of locals were coming in and ordering. You could also have a white hot chocolate and every week they had a special hot chocolate on offer which could be cinnamon, chili, vanilla bean, hazelnut, mixed spice, orange or caramel. This week’s special was mint, another popular option for the locals coming in this morning.
I ordered the traditional hot chocolate made with 65% Maracaibo single origin chocolate…in a mug. It was a beautiful hot chocolate. I cannot rave about this hot chocolate enough. It was so smooth with a rich chocolately taste while still being very easy to drink. It was not sweet, not bitter but a perfect blend that just made my day. It was one giant chocolatey hug. If only Launceston wasn’t so far away…
Cocobeans Chocolate also offers their hot chocolate in little individual packaged cubes of solid chocolate on sticks that you can melt into hot milk. I bought one with chili and tried it at home. It was beautiful.
Our plan today was to drive the Tamar Wine Route and taste the very well known Tasmanian wines (red and sparkling in particular). This hot chocolate must have been our lucky charm because for the first time in two weeks the clouds parted, the sun came out and we had perfect weather to visit the vineyards and enjoy the stunning views across the valley.
Verdict: I loved everything about Cocobean. The staff were so friendly and they obviously have a lot of fans locally (and internationally), understandably! Cocobean Chocolate, 82 George Street, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
